Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-08-10
DAILY HERALD.
THE RRAvIS NATTER.
what an ArixOniam Thinks 81
the Claimants.

2AG = A8s
PHOENIX, Arizona, Aug. 5, 1887.
Editor HERALD: The substance OF
IN interview with the Baron and
Baroness of the Colorados," which
in the HERALD of a recent
date, has created no little amusement
among the people OF this valley. We,
who know the character of this man
Reavis, and understand the merits of
his so-called grant, can but smile at
the fellows monumental cheek and
unlimited gall. He has been repeat
ing this sort of stuff for several years
past, and his recent statements would
not be deemed worthy of notice by
people here did not a journal of the
character and standing OF the HERALD
give to them such prominence. Your
city is full OF strangers who never be-
fore heard Of Reavis and know no.
thing Of his alleged grant" Read
ing the interview, they will be apt to
conclude that land titles in the Salt
River valley are unsettled, and that it
IL . good place to keep away from.
This is doing an injustice to this
people and working an injury to their
prosperity, and they ask the same pri-
vilege in your columns which has been
accorded the Baron" for the purpose
of setting this matter in its true light
before the people of Los Angeles
Now for few facts in the history Of
this so-called Peralta grant:
In 1864 and 1865 one George A. Will
ling, Jr., famailiarly known as Doc"
Willing, was engaged in mining near
Prescott. OF dissolute habits, he was
looked upon as rather shrewd and en-
tirely unscrupulous. In October,
1864, Willing had placed ON record in
the Rec orders office of Yavapai coun-
fy, at Prescott, an instrument in writ
ing which purported to convey to said
Willing the rights and interests OF
one Miguel Peralta to an alleged land
grant situated somewhere in Arizona
Territory. The document was signed
by two witnesses, but was never ae-
knowledged before any officer author
ized to take oaths. In 1867 or '6S
Willing left the county and nothing
was heard from him until 1874, when
he again reappeared in Prescott, de-
claring he represented a st. Louis
company which he had formed for the
purpose of developing his mining
claims. He cut rather wide swath
for awhile, giving out that he was
backed by unlimited capital, but this
claim, like many others which the
'.Doc" was in the habit of making,
proved to be without any foundation.
Something less than a year after his
return Willing was taken seriously ill.
being without means he was taken to
the county hospital where he fingered
q few days and died. During his resi-
dence in Prescott, Willing scarcely
ever alluded to his grant" made no
effort to assert his suppositious rights
to the same, and in his last illness
never once alluded to the matter.
In 1879 or 80, J. Addison Reavis
appeared in Prescott and represented
himself as agent and travelling corres-
poudent of the San Francisco Err
aminer. In conversation he stated
that he was from st. Louis, and
claimed kin" with his namesake, the
famous "capitol mover" Reavis
made many inquiries about Willing
and his last illness, and was particu-
iarly anxious to discover any papers
or other documents which the deceased
might have left behind. After this
J. Addison Reavis disappeared from
public view and was not again heard
from until the spring of 1883. At that
time he presented himself in the city
Of Phoenix, and for the first time an
nounced his claim to the immense
domain which he called the "Peralta
grant," He engaged rooms at the
principal hotel, spread out his forrnid-
able array of documents and invited
the people to acknowledge his
claim and bow to his authority
as the legal heir of the
=. Baron OF the Colorados." In ex-
planning the Inks of his title he de-
clared that the grant had been orig
inally given to one OF the Peralta fam
lily by the King of Spain, as a reward
for meritorious services; that Willing
had obtained his title from the Peralta
heir, and that he (Reavis) had secured
his title from Willing's widow. After
short stay in Phoenix Reavis took
his departure and was next heard of
at Florence, thriving town on the
Gila river, which he also claimed was
within the limits of his grant.
There he pursued the same course as
in Phenix-levying blackmail on all
who would acknowledge his little"
and take his deed.
In the summer of 1884 Reavis paid
another visit to Phoenix and began at
once the work OF extorting money
from timid settlers who were awed by
the mass Of papers and docu-
ments which he produced, many OF
them being in the Spanish language.
He sold his deeds at from s. to SIS
each, and to many of the prominent
and property owners he of
fered them free gratis, Reavis hoping,
by this means, to win over the lead
ing settlers, and thus create a public
sentiment in his favor. In all the
deeds which the Baron" gave here
he distinctly claims his title from
w Htkiis NluON, sLlfu tOlii iptCtCIN
ignores the claims OF the Baroness.
So scandalous did his blackmailing
proceedings become that Clark
Churchill, then Attorney-General OF
the Territory, instituted legal pro-
and summoned him to show
cause why he should not be punished
for obtaining money under false pre-
fences. In his examination, Reavis
was entirely non-committal, claiming
that his title was being investigated
and would soon be reported upon.
Under oath, he stated that he had re-
ceiyed money from the Southern Pa
cific Railroad Company amounting to
over $35, ,000-this for granting the
right of way over portion
Of his domain. He also swore that he
had received IS, 900 from the Silver
King Company for one OF his deeds to
that property. 1t has since been dis
that ha naVar rnpaIvpd any